Advantages & Disadvantages of Internet Recruiting

Why internet recruiting become so important.

The internet became vital to recruitment, having made the process of recruitment faster, less expensive, and more efficient for HR managers. By having individuals submit resumes, applications, and other information via email and having this information electronically filed reduces paper cost, saves time, and reduces the chance of vital information be misplaced, lost, or stolen. This information can be checked quickly using the internet also and this substantially reduces the time involved in finding qualified candidates. Along with increased speed and efficiency, the internet reduces the cost of recruitment substantially by removing many of the steps in the interview process. The need to bring people in for repeated interviews can be consolidated since information can be verified faster (Jones, 2007).

Another important reason that the internet is vital to recruitment stems from its expansion of the recruitment market. The internet allows employers to seek human resources on a global scale. The ability to screen applicants remotely allows for companies to find the most talented and qualified help without being limited to local markets.

Typically the process for recruiting on the internet is the same as recruiting in the traditional way with some exceptions. The process involves: applicant racking, preliminary screening, interviewing, and selection. Applicant tracking begins with sorting through applications and determining which applicants are best suited for the job. Using the internet this process is made very simple since it involves electronic files rather than using a paper system. (Jones, 2007).

The preliminary screening process is essentially the same and involves telephone interviews. The internet can enhance this process by allowing for increased communication via email and through video such as Skype. After screening the applicants through communication the interview process can begin and this can also benefit from video interviews conducted across the internet. The selection can then be made.

There are some disadvantages to using the internet as a recruitment tool. The largest disadvantage is the high volume of applicants. Companies can be inundated with responses and this can slow the process of recruiting. The internet also has a limited function with people. Some applicants are easier to find via the internet while others are not. A computer engineer would be easy to find via the internet but a janitor might not be (Halcrow , 2013). The second major disadvantage is that the internet makes communication impersonal. The recruiting process will involve emails and other communications this limits the personal interaction of the recruiter and the applicant. Many good applicants can be overlooked. As well, applicants may lose interest in a company because they cannot decide if they would fit the company culture (Joseph, 2013).

References

Halcrow , A. (2013). ‘corner office’: Internet recruiting. Retrieved from http://abcnews.go.com/Business/CornerOffice/story?id=89789&page=1

Jones, G. R. (2007). Introduction to business: How companies create value for people. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin

Joseph, C. (2013). Disadvantages of online recruitment. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/disadvantages-online-recruitment-748.html

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Article Updated 10/16/2021